Set to graduate in May, Atlanta International School senior Alexandra Zdonczyk is wrapping up her 13th year at the school.

As she heads to Washington University in St. Louis as part of the school’s University Scholars Program in Medicine, she is guaranteed acceptance into the medical school there, “as long as we maintain a certain GPA, complete an interview and have certain MCAT scores,” Zdonczyk said.

She will be studying philosophy neuroscience psychology, which she describes as an “interdisciplinary approach which incorporates different fields.”

Zdonczyk also hopes to study Spanish or Latin American studies, she said, an interest sparked by her paternal Argentinean heritage.

“That’s one reason I came to AIS,” she said. “I take Spanish language and literature and I absolutely love how we’re able to explore how different literary works and artists express aspects of the Latin-American culture through different mediums.”

Zdonczyk said her favorite subject is currently biology because she likes understanding “how things work.”

“It’s just fascinating to see how nature created all these different systems … over millions of years,” she said. “I am interested in studying neuroscience [because] it is extraordinary to see how this muddled gray matter somehow controls our feelings.”

Zdonczyk’s GPA is 4.57.

Outside of the classroom, she spends time on the volleyball court as a libero. She said she played varsity and club volleyball.

“I have done volleyball since middle school,” Zdonczyk said. “I love the team community. … I’m kind of introverted so having this small community I know I can trust and really love being around to help push myself and help them achieve the best they can do.”

She is co-leader of Georgia Community Table, an organization her friend Emily Collin founded. It sends food to communities in Rabun County, where financial issues have caused malnutrition in schoolchildren.

“It hindered their academic performance,” Zdonczyk said.

Additionally, she is involved with Aprendiendo Inglés Sólido, a group which helps mostly Hispanic children, she said.

“We go tutor kids across from AIS [at] Garden Hills Elementary,” Zdonczyk said. “We get to help them with homework or just get to know them.”

The group has also raised more than $1,000 to fund the education for kids at the Solidarity School in Sandy Springs.

Alexandra said she will miss her community at school.

“It has definitely been a great ride,” Zdonczyk said. “I didn’t start appreciating how accepting AIS was until going out and playing club volleyball, and meeting people who were more close-minded about certain issues. I love going to classes with people from all over the world and hearing about their experiences.”

*We welcome your comments on the stories and issues of the day and seek to provide a forum for the community to voice opinions. All comments are subject to moderator approval before being made visible on the website but are not edited. The use of profanity, obscene and vulgar language, hate speech, and racial slurs is strictly prohibited. Advertisements, promotions, spam, and links to outside websites will also be rejected. Please read our terms of service for full guides